The University of Chicago

The University of Chicago (UChicago) is a private research institution, offering an education spanning a number of different disciplines to develop a broad intellectual foundation among its student body. Approximately 7,650 undergraduate and 10,900 postgraduate students pursue their degrees here.

UChicago has strong sense of community on its urban campus, which is located in the Hyde Park area of the famous Illinois city it is named after.  

  • UoE Direct Entry students may face barriers to acceptance at UChicago. It is therefore strongly recommended that Direct Entry students do not select UChicago as one of their preferred exchange destinations. 

Available exchanges

UChicago hosts the University-wide and Subject-specific Chemistry Research exchanges.

Restricted subject areas

A word of caution for students interested in studying Economics: The majority of UChicago Economics courses are highly quantitative, with even introductory Economics courses requiring that students have a strong background in calculus.  

  • Upper-level course offerings in Economics often require that students have finished part of UChicago's introductory Economics sequence along with a full year of calculus. There may also be additional mathematics prerequisites beyond calculus to access upper-level courses.
  • Students whose transcripts lack a full year of calculus may not be able to enrol in Economics courses, except for introductory Microeconomics and Macroeconomics courses that do not have prerequisites. Economics students, therefore, should be prepared to take classes in other disciplines provided they have the approval of their Exchange Coordinators.

UChicago is not deemed suitable for Engineering, Public Policy or Statistics, and we do not recommend it as an exchange for Economics based on the above restrictions. 

Your responsibilities

  • The information provided here serves as a guide.
  • It is your responsibility to research whether the partner provides appropriate courses for your degree programme.
  • Even if there are no restrictions on your degree subject, this does not mean that there are appropriate courses for you.

International Students At-Large (ISALs) must take a minimum of 3 courses (worth 300 units) and a maximum of 4 courses (worth 400 units) per quarter to be fully registered. Thus, in one academic year, they can take between 9 and 12 courses. They will have access to the full course catalog, pending seat availability and prerequisites.  

ISALs may also take courses in select graduate programs and professional schools upon consultation with their UChicago Academic Advisor. 

Course registration at UChicago is very competitive, thus enrolment in specific courses cannot be guaranteed at the point of application.  


Guaranteed accommodation? 

No 

University accommodation

International students participating on exchange at UChicago arrange their own housing accommodation and often live in the university’s Hyde Park neighborhood, which is walking distance from the campus and can be accessed via a free bus system. The UChicago Program Coordinator will offer support in the summer, during the onboarding process.


Immigration/Visa requirements

In order to receive a visa, prospective exchange students will be asked to prove that they can cover the average cost of living at UChicago, which is estimated to be around US$28,000 in total. This amount is calculated based on the average cost of accommodation, meals, health insurance and other living expenses. 

Proof of your ability to fund your exchange can come from multiple sources including personal savings, support from family, student grants and/or scholarships. Please bear in mind that if you cannot provide such proof, you will not be able to acquire a visa and therefore will not be able to go on exchange.  

How much it will cost to go on exchange to University of Chicago?

Estimated costs for full academic year (subject to increase):  

  • Accommodation and meals: $15,000 to $19,000   
  • Insurance: $4,800   
  • Student life fee: $1,761   
  • Books and supplies: $1,800   
  • Personal expenses: $2,400   
  • Flights: varies, ~$1,500   
  • Visa: varies, several hundred dollars   

Health insurance

Depending on your visa type, you may be required to purchase health insurance. Non-Degree Visitors (J-1) and their dependents (J-2) are required to have health insurance for the duration of their program. See the link below for the full requirements.  

 

Students can meet the J-1 health insurance requirement by purchasing the University Student Health Insurance Plan (USHIP) or another plan that meets the same requirements. If you would like to purchase a different insurance policy, please refer to the Comparable Coverage Checklist at the link below to ensure your plan will also meet the J-1 requirements. 



  


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